Can opener for strip-sealed cans



Patented Oct. 19, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAN OPENER FORSTRIP-SEALED CANS George Bahler, Wolcott, Conn.

Application March 7, 1952, Serial No. 275,370

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to a can opener for strip-sealed cans andit consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements of partsherein described and claimed.

Generally there is provided a mechanical can opener provided with a basehaving a vertical standard of adjustable length mounted thereon whichstandard is provided with a horizontally extending arm at its upper end.A key holder in the form of a hinge is mounted at the lower end of athreaded shaft which extends upwardly through the horizontal arm andwhich has affixed thereto a horizontally extending operating handle. Thekey holder is adapted to securely grasp the handle of a conventional keywhich is provided for the opening of strip-sealed cans and the operationof the device forming the present invention is such that the strip iswound upon the key in an even manner so that the contents of the can arenot spilled during the operation of removing the strip.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a device of thecharacter set forth which is simple in construction, inexpensive tomanufacture and yet effective and efficient in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of thecharacter set forth, a novel adjustable vertical standard forming a partof the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide,

in a device of the character set forth, a novel key holder forming apart of the invention.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from areading of the following specification taken in conjunction with thedrawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyalong line 2-2 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, somewhat enlarged, taken alongline 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown therein adevice of the character set forth comprising a horizontally extendingrectangular base I upon which is mounted a vertically extendingadjustable standard generally indicated at H and comprising a lowervertical member |2 having an integrally formed foot I3 which is afiixedto the base H] by means of a screw M or the like, and which is providedwith a vertically extending slot l5.

There is also provided an upper vertical member l6 which has extendingtherethrough a pair 2 of bolts I! which also extend through the slot l5and which are provided with nuts I8 at their inner ends.

The upper end of the member I5 has integrally formed therewith ahorizontally extending arm I!) through which vertically extends a headedscrew 28 whose lower end is adapted to bear against the upper end of themember l2.

A key holder is generally indicated at 2| and consists of a verticalplate 22 recessed on one side, as indicated at 23 and carrying a pintle24 vertically at one end thereof and upon which pintle is hingedlymounted a movable plate 25 through which centrally extends a knurledscrew 26 which is adapted to threadably engage in an opening 21 in theplate 22 when the movable plate 25 is brought into close proximity withthe plate 22. The upper end of the plate 22 has integrally formedtherewith an upwardly extending threaded pin 28 which is revolublymounted in an opening 29 in the arm I9.

A collar 30 surrounds the pin 28 above the arm l9 and is affixed to thepin 28 by means of a set screw 3|. An elongated operating handle 32 isprovided with an opening 33 adjacent its inner end whereby the same maybe positioned over the pin 28 and a nut 34 is threaded upon the upperend of the pin 28 to thereby hold the handle 32 in horizontal position.Adjacent the outer end of the arm or handle 32 there is aflixed by meansof a bolt 35 and nut 36 a knob 31. A vertical guide member 38 isa-fiixed, as by screws 39, to either side of the base In so that a canindicated in dotted lines 40 in Figures 1 and 2, may be positionedtherebetween. The can 40 is provided with the conventional strip 4| anda key 42 for removing the strip.

In operation, it will be apparent that the key 42 may be removed fromits customary position where it is held by soldering to the top orbottom of the can 40 and the handle of such key 42 placed over theknurled screw 26 whereupon the movable plate 25 is brought into closeproximity to the fixed plate 22 whereupon the knurled screw 26 isengaged with the opening 27 and the plates 22 and 25 thereupon broughtinto clamping relation with the key 42. The key 42 may then be engagedin customary manner with the strip 4| and thereupon the handle 32 may beturned by means of the knob 31 to thus wind the strip 4| upon the key 42in an even manner and without spilling the contents of the can 40. Itwill be seen that during this operation the guide memhere 38- will actto maintain the can 40 upon the base It! and against accidentalslippage. It

will also be seen that the effective height of the standard II may beadjusted by loosening the nuts I8 and moving the upper member l6upwardly or downwardly as the case may be after which the nuts may betightened and the screw 20 screwed inwardly until its lower ends come tobear against the upper end of the member l2.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein,it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minormodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A can opener for strip-sealed cans comprising a base, a verticalstandard afiixed to said base, a horizontal arm affixed to the upper endof said standard, a key holder vertically dependent from and rotatablymounted in said horizontal arm, a horizontally extending operating crankhandle aflixed at its inner end to said key holder, said key holderincluding a fixed plate, a movable plate hinged to said fixed plate atone side thereof and adapted to hinge about a vertical axis, and aknurled-headed screw revolvably extending through said movable plateintermediate the length thereof, and threadedly engageable with saidfixed plate, and a standard can key having a looped handle, said loopedhandle disposed between said fixed and movable plates of the key holderand said knurled-headed screw extending through the looped handle on thecan key, said key, when in place, adapted to extend down the side of thecan to engage the side strip thereof, whereby upon rotation of the keyholder by the can strip, the can strip of the sealed can may be readilyremoved.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 103,462 Holliday May 24, 1870 208,749 McCann Oct. 8, 1878209,535 Williams Oct. 29, 1878 743,211 Alexander Nov. 3, 1903 1,244,437Fisher Oct. 23, 1917 1,534,484 Averill Apr. 21, 1925 1,646,719 YoungOct. 25, 1927 1,690,319 Anderson Nov. 6, 1928 1,759,364 Quigg May 20,1930 2,630,327 Landauer Mar. 3, 1951

